📖 Meaning
This idiom describes common people warmly welcoming and feeding an army they support, carrying jars of drink and baskets of rice. It originally referred to civilians greeting a righteous king's liberating forces, and later came to denote any heartfelt popular reception of a beloved military force.
📜 Origin Story
From Mencius, 'King Hui of Liang, Part II' (《孟子·梁惠王下》), during the Warring States period. King Xuan of Qi consulted Mencius about whether to annex the state of Yan. Mencius replied that the people of Yan, suffering under tyranny, would eagerly welcome a righteous army — carrying bamboo baskets of cooked rice and jars of wine to greet the king's troops. The phrase became a classic image of civilians expressing their devotion to liberating forces.
💡 Example Usage
百姓们壸浆箪食，夹道欢迎凯旋归来的将士。
The common people, bearing jars of drink and baskets of food, lined the roads to welcome the soldiers returning in triumph.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 壸浆箪食
- Pinyin: kǔn jiāng dān shí
- Literal Translation: jar, beverage, bamboo basket, food
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4